#the ones inside a castle where you have to buy a ton of door keys

[randomnameless]

I know it’s a general consensus that CF did Edel dirty when the reason why the Empire was in a stalemate during the 5 years gap was because “Sensei is missing :’( “

But can we also talk about Seteth - who has to wait for Judith (or Rodrigue) to give him the “Rhea was caught by Imperial soldiers maybe you should start looking in the Empire to find her” despite everything in the game pointing at the obvious “the empire caught her”?

In SS, when he finds Rhea he’s all :

Seteth: Rhea... I am overjoyed that you are unharmed. I could not stand losing another of our kind.

Well, as overjoyed as static models can be.

Seteth loves his daughter and (loves?) cares about his sister, because he doesn’t want to lose another Nabatean. But the flimsy “i’ve been looking everywhere for 5 years to find her but our church spies couldn’t find her” kind of sucks.

Like, not that complicated but :

Dubious people steal Flayn’s blood knowing she’s part lizard --> Dubious people work with/for the Flame Emperor

Dubious people experiment on humans using crest stones to turn them into monsters --> they work with/for the Flame Emperor

The douchebag who captured Flayn because she has lizard blood and helped Solon’s science project in Remire works for/with the Flame Emperor

Same Douchebag helped zealots to steal Sothis’ bones and/or pillage Rhea’s tomb --> something something Flame Emperor

Flame Emperor is revealed to be Edelgard --> something fishy is happening in the Empire

Edelgard becomes Emperor and declares war on the Church

Edelgard uses Beasts, Emile, and regular Imperial Soldiers in the Battle of Garreg Mach

Rhea turns in her alternate form to fend off invaders and buy time for the church people to escape

Rhea goes missing

Where could she be? Where should we start looking?

She was totally chilling in Dagda?

If only the answer was not “the imperial palace”!

Like, this is the number 1 location anyone would suppose she’d be kept in! Or Enbarr/getting intel from the Empire should be the first priority!

But no, Seteth needs Judith, 5 years later, to know where Rhea is or that “Rhea was dragged off by Imperial soldiers” and maybe it’s time to storm Enbarr?

Wow, dude. So yep, Macuil was the strategist.

If this is not a contrived as fuck reason not to have sent a stealth squad to infiltrate the castle, rescue Rhea before Billy wakes up, I don’t know what it is.

I know Seteth and the remaining Church peeps don’t have the manpower to tackle on Edel and her Army head-on.

But, idk, Leif didn’t have manpower to rescue Nanna and Mareeta in FE5 and yet he still tried. Or how Roy rescued Lilina without the army he has at the end of FE6, before going against Zephiel.

We could had a Billy-less route, or even Gaiden if you still want Billy to be important to the greater plot, where Seteth, Flayn, Catherine, Shamir, Alois, and, idk, Cyril infiltrate the palace, discover a secret lopto temple and after crossing a fow room with craptons of warp tiles find Rhea’s cell, but they can’t force it, they need Sothis’ power to do so so they vow to return with the professor and then the game resumes.

(you could even get a glimpse at the 11 deadlords in the sleeping pods, each one guarding a room, and the Nemesis one is positioned just in front of Rhea’s cell but their sprite is a bit green-ish)

We could even had the Church stealth squad receive help from Manu and her Mittelfrank friends showing that not everyone in the Empire was “make Adrestia Great Again and Down with Religion!” instead of telling us through a NPC. (make Manu have a pass white magic spell, idk, something echoing her “talent and beauty isn’t enough to be a diva” and her alternate Assassin!Manu we see in AM if she wasn’t recruited)

Idk, anything but “well i tried to look for you in Remire, Rhodos and even Zanado but I totally didn’t think the guys who attacked us and know about our secret could have caught you! sry”

“Adrestia also invaded Briggid, you know? I’ve spent 3 years looking for you there”

But of course, if the only source of intel were the local church branches, knowing how Adrestia ejected its own a few centuries earlier wasn’t helping!

[hetalialoverwrites]

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

Part 4

First  -  Previous  -  Next

        Ben started walking through the small garden that was in front of the school, "Auradon Prep was built 300 years ago as a small castle that was later converted into a high school by my father." He announced before pausing and looking up at a bronze statue of his father, the king. He clapped and the statue transformed into the Beast, making Carlos scream and jump into Jay's arms, who looked at him with an annoyed expression. This caught the attention of Ben and Audrey, Ben trying to soothe Carlos, "Carlos, it's okay. My father wanted his statue to morph from beast to man to remind us that anything is possible." You and Mal shared a look, feeling slightly better about this place. 'If the people here could accept a beast then maybe they would accept us...?' You shook your head, brushing the thought away. 'Wishful thinking...' "does he shed much?" Mal asked.

        "Yeah, mom won't let him on the couch." Ben deadpanned, making you chuckle. Noticing this, Ben started to smile again and walked with Audrey inside the school. "So, do you guys do magic here? Like wands and stuff?" Mal asked, looking around. "Yeah, we can, but that stuff has been much been retired." Ben shrugged, stopping and turning around to face the group once inside. "Most of us now are just... Ordinary mortals." You didn't like the way he said that and rolled your eyes a little, "Who just happen to be kings and queens." You added. "That's true!" Audrey jumped in, putting Ben's arm around her shoulder. "Our royal blood goes back hundreds of years." You and Mal shared a look before snorting. 'Hundreds of years for their royal blood? Think thousands of years with royal Phoenix blood and a fucking god, Audrey. Get on our level.' You thought to yourself, laughing internally at how hard she was trying to one-up you all. 'Evie's royal blood probably goes back much longer than yours, my dear niece.' 

        As you and Mal stifled your laughter, Audrey joined in obviously thinking you were laughing for another reason. Or maybe she is just childish, who knows. Soon after Audrey put Ben's arm around her, he pulled it away, "Doug! Doug, come down here." Ben called to a boy walking down the stairs in a band uniform. Throwing an arm around his shoulder, Ben brought him over. "This is Doug, he is going to show you your class schedules and to your dorms." Letting go, Ben walked back over to stand in front of you all, looking at you, "I'll see you later, okay?" Ben's soft expression and voice seemed to be directed towards you and Mal and Evie noticed as he turned his attention back to the group. "And if you need anything-." Audrey cut Ben off sharply, "Ask Doug." She gave you a look and Ben laughed uncomfortably before being led off by Audrey.

        You and Mal were careful to move your wings away from them as they passed. Doug nodded to himself before clearing his throat, "Hi guys, I'm Dopey's son. As in Dopey, Doc, Bashful, Happy, Grumpy, Sleepy, and-" Doug took in a sharp breath as Evie turned and made eye contact with him "Heigh-ho..." He breathed. Evie sauntered over to him, hands on her hips, "Evie... Evil Queen's daughter." She introduced smoothly. He sighed and shook himself before looking down at his clipboard, "Okay, so about your classes, I, uh, I put in the requirements already. History of Woodsmen and Pirates, Safety Rules for the Internet, and... Remedial Goodness 101." Doug read off as Mal walked over during hi taking to look at the paper over his shoulder. "Ha! Lemme guess. New class?" She asked, taking out a sweet and popping it in her mouth. Doug nodded, showing that it was indeed new before she sighed, "Alright guys, let's go find out dorms." Doug piped up before any of you could move though, "Oh, your dorms are just down that hall and here are your keys." Doug handed out the keys before you five walked off down the hall he pointed to. 

        Opening the door to your new dorm with Mal and Evie, you frowned deeply at the three beds and all the pink around the room. And there were so many windows... "This place is ama-" Evie started before she cut herself off at the sound of Mal's, "Gross." "Amazingly gross!" Evie finished nervously. "It's okay if you like it E, but honestly, all this pinky frilly stuff. It's horrible." You complained. "And the beds! It took us so long to make comfortable nests." Mal groaned, throwing her head back. While you two did that, Evie shut the door behind you and closed all the windows. "Well then, I guess we are just going to have to fix it then!" Evie nodded her head with determination. "Fix it?" You and Mal asked curiously. "Yeah! Like, we can move some of the furniture and put the mattresses next to each other on the floor! It might be a snug fit for you two, but it should work better! And I'll get to work on bedding big enough for it!" Evie's eyes were alit at the idea of designing something so big. So much from for patterns and designs!

        You and Mal were touched by her words and hugged her, wrapping your wings around her, "Thanks, Evie." "Thanks, E." You and Mal echoed. Evie smiled and hugged you two back before you three got to work. Evie took the blankets and pillows off the beds while you and Mal moved everything from in front of the sitting area on the opposite side from the door. Placing the mattresses in the newly emptied space under the huge windows, you two realized that it was going to be difficult keeping the mattresses together every night. "Don't worry about that. I'll make a strong fitted sheet that can hold them together well. I'll have it done in two days, promise." Evie promised you two after looking at it as well. After doing the best you could and putting all the blankets and pillows back on the massive bed, you and Mal sighed.

        "It's not going to be as comfortable as a nest, but..." "It will do." Mal finished for you, both of you nodding to Evie. She smiled brightly, excited that her idea was working. After a little bit, the room's layout was decided. Where the previous sitting area was in an alcove, now laid yours and Mal's bed. On either side were the nightstands, the full-length mirror was moved to where your beds used to be and so were the chairs. The lamps stayed where they were and the blue carpet that was in the alcove also moved. Across from the new sitting room was Evie's bed which she had decided to leave where it was against the wall. You three also left the dressers where they were but moved yours and Mal's trunks to the end of your beds. Standing back, you three looked at the work that had taken you all day to do, "Perfect! Now let's go check on the guys." Mal instructed.

        Going to the guy's rooms wasn't that bad. There was minimal security and it wasn't that far away. Oh yeah, and it was after curfew, so it wasn't like anyone was out to see you either. Stepping in the large room, you cleared your throat to gain the boys' attention. Mal spotted jay with a ton of things on his bed, "Jay! What are you doing?" "It's called stealing," Jay informed her cockily. "Okay. What's the point?" She asked, genuinely confused. "Well, Mal, it's like buying whatever I want, but for free," Jay smirked. Mal laughed, "Okay, well you could do that, or you could leave all this stuff here and go clean when we leave this place for my sister's kingdom!" Jay gave her a look, "Yeah... No thanks." jay said before going over to Carlos and taking over the controllers to his game.

        "Guys! Do I have to remind you as to what we are all here for?" Mal asked incredulously. "Fairy Godmother, blah blah blah, magic wand, blah blah blah." Jay snickered as he looked over his shoulder to Mal. "No!" You burst out, silencing the room. "We are here so we can get off that stupid island and get our parents somewhere where we can all actually live for once! Fresh food, nice homes, feeling clean every single day! Fresh air, being able to go wherever you want, not having to constantly be on your toes and looking out for the next thief! We are here to go home!" You yelled, on the break of tears as you reminded yourself of the freedom you could have. It was almost in your grasp. You could finally go home soon. "Or do you want to be trapped on the Isle again...?" You asked quietly. Jay, Carlos, and Evie stalled for a moment before speaking. 

        "You're right..." Evie spoke quietly. "We don't want to go back to the isle..." "I want to be able to walk around without excepting my wallet to be gone," Carlos added, looking down at his feet. "And not have to steal all the time..." Jay finished quietly. As good at stealing as Jay was, he only did it to make enough money for his father's shop. It's a tough life living on the Isle... With limited resources, you steal to live. "I... I'm sorry for yelling guys..." You apologized, lowering your head. Your friends looked on with frowns as Mal hugged you. They knew how hard it was to be a Dark Fae and live on the Isle. Your kind was the most connected with nature and you couldn't even enjoy it because of the lack of healthy plant life. That and there wasn't a ton of space for you and Mal to fly around so most times you were restless or on edge. You had been able to hide it after a while, but they all knew how you and Mal used to be. And on top of that, you couldn't use your magic, which is a part of you. They didn't really like the Isle either.

        Jay was constantly stealing and those he stole from almost always carried grudges or at the very least sent him dirty looks whenever he was near. Carlos was typically looked down on as weak because he wasn't as strong as the other boys on the Isle. And Evie always had to endure the harsh words from the other girls on the Isle that were jealous of her beauty. It wasn't everyone on the Isle that was mean, evil, and cruel. But the ones that were... They were very vocal about it. "We understand (Y/n). It's frustrating for us too, but... I guess we just don't really want to think about it because what if... What if we fail and have to go back?" Evie whispered the last part softly. Everyone looked down before Jay walked up to the table and slammed his hands down, "But that isn't going to happen!" His voice was sure as he continued, "We are going to get that wand, get our parents out, and leave this place! To Aurora's kingdom! Where we never have to be worried about being locked up again!" "Unless we break the law," Carlos added, making everyone laugh. Mal stepped forward, a grin on her face. "Alright then. Now, let's make a plan and go get that wand."

[moodring89]

CH.01 Down the Rabbit Hole

Pairing: Jeongguk x Reader / Side Yoonseok Chapter Rated: PG-13 (Future rating will change to M) Genre: Fantasy, Hybrid AU (Prince Bunkook. Sue me.), Royal AU, Cinderella / Labyrinth feels Summary: Yoongi's sister buys two tickets to the Autumn ball held at the Meadows, a notorious city known for its hybrid inhabitants, where she hopes to meet a certain bunny princeling. Chapters: 01, 02, 03, 04

“I’m sorry, what –?”

Yoongi held up a piece of mail, “Autumn Ball to be held at the Meadows in celebration of Prince Jeon Jeongguk’s Coming of Age?” The envelope was ripped at the top from where he’d opened it, being all sorts of casual about incriminating himself. “There’s no way in hell that our father is going to allow you to attend. You know this and yet you spent money on a ticket.”

“On two tickets,” she said, as she snatched the envelope from his fingers. “And why not?”

He didn’t know how to not sound like a prejudiced asshole, but he went for it anyway. “Because there are hybrids living in the Meadows and there’s still a ton o’ shit that we don’t know about them yet.”

“This is the first social gathering where hybrids and humans will be allowed to mingle and co-exist with one another, and like, in a party setting, which is just a bonus. It’s fascinating. No – it’s historic and you can bet your uptight, manhwa loving ass that I’d love to be there.” The blonde lowered his eyes at her, pouting resolutely when she continued, “I spoke with our father and you know what he said? ‘Get one for your brother, too.’”

He sighed, passively, “Well, I wasn’t expecting that. I was just rather hoping he’d do that thing where he beats on his chest and roars his short response of ‘fuck’ and ‘no’ from atop the highest mountain.”

She patted his shoulder with mock sincerity, “There, there, take the loss as it comes, swiftly and sweetly. Do you even own a proper suit and tie?”

“I have about as many suits as you do ball gowns.”

“So, zero then? ‘Kay, sounds good. We’re real ahead of this thing.”

Yoongi grabbed for his car keys, wanting to get it over with. “Let’s hit the stores now, before I decide to go in my pajamas. You know that I would, too.” When it comes to his sister, Yoongi tended to cave in, perhaps too easily. Whatever she wanted, whatever she needed, and most of the time – even things she could do living without, but he decided that she didn’t have to, like a new phone, or a bag.

They’d split up once they were inside the store, headed in two completely separate directions. She hadn’t expected half the town to be at this particular dress shop. Royal ball doesn’t exactly scream, ‘Let’s go to the local Mom-and-Pop boutique.’

The obnoxious text tone of Naruto’s catchphrase, ‘Believe it’ that she’d associated with Yoongi went off. She stared down at her phone.

Yoonji Unnie --------------------- It’s a fucking sausage fest here. 3:54pm

To: Yoonji Unnie --------------------- Funny, since it’s a clam-fam reunion over here, too. Any hopes of looking original have successfully gone out the window. 3:54pm

Yoonji Unnie --------------------- Unless we go with my pajama idea? 3:54pm

To: Yoonji Unnie --------------------- I’m not meeting the Prince of the Meadows in a camisole. 3:55pm

Yoonji Unnie --------------------- Gross. See you in the parking lot. 3:57pm

Yoongi was already inside the car, a plastic bag thrown carelessly into the backseat. She shut her door with a huff, somewhat affronted by it. “You were able to find a suit? I thought it was Wang city, far too many hand-to-gland casualities for you to possibly stay long enough to find something suitable.”

“Yeah, unlike you, I don’t care if I’m wearing the same shit as someone else, especially a fucking suit.” He started up the car and turned onto the main road, driving around idly, until they decided on their next stop. “Again, I would have gone in my striped pajamas without a single fuck to be spared. I like keeping my fucks to myself. However, something tells me that there is a dress code we have to adhere to...”

“Of course there is.”

Yoongi was scowling, as he tended to do so very naturally. “I would really hate to piss off the woodland creatures with our subpar fashion choices, so start calling out shops, and we’ll swing by to see if it’s packed.”

“Hybrids are people, not creatures,” she said, turning somewhat dejectedly to stare out the window. “Why do I have to remind you? You’re the intelligent one and yet you say the most asinine things.”

“What are you hoping to achieve by seeing the Prince? He will not favor you, as you do him.” It was such a sad anomaly, something that shouldn’t have happened, but it did, and it was too late. His sister had fallen in love through mere stories of the bunny princeling. What if the tales weren’t true? Don’t meet your heroes, wasn’t that the saying? The treaty between hybrids and humans had practically been forced, guns aimed at each other’s heads in a stalemate between two stubborn kings. It turned out that the two species needed to sustain each other, whether it was for the oil, the crops, or other various cargos: The union was not wanted, but it was necessary.

The thought that their father had even agreed to put them in some slight form of potential danger was preposterous to him. Although, it was possible that his darling sister was lying to him, right to his own fucking face. At least he could later credit himself for not being entirely blindsided by it. No one jukes Min Yoongi.  

“I don’t even expect to be allowed to speak with the Prince, so what does it matter?” They were stopped at a light. For a long moment, the silence played with the tension, thus swallowing the siblings up whole. She sighed, finding it be unbearable, “I only wish to look upon him, to take glimpse of his true nature for myself, instead by word of mouth.”

“Alright, enough. You can stop with the poetic shit. I get it…” Yoongi felt frustrated, stopping in front of a shopping mall. It didn’t appear to be as busy as all the other stores they had passed along the way, probably due to an even lower standard in quality. He surrendered his card as a form of an apology, which she graciously accepted. “Don’t make it long.”

She’d made it especially fucking long.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The tickets were a simple white cotton paper with speckled gold and elegant cursive. She half-mourned over the fact that she’d have to hand it over at the castle gates in order to get in. The girl kept the envelope, tucking it away inside the top drawer of her vanity. Tonight she would finally get to meet the Prince. After hearing so many stories of his time on the battlefield, of the scar which adorned his face along his cheek, how he’d spared a human General’s life.

Prince Jeongguk was an advocate for equality, a symbol of peace, and hope. He’d visited the Isles of Lunar and fed the sun to the poor. He did not leave, until all were healthy, and full. She’d heard that he’d brought in environmental scientists to study the moon enriched lands and that they’d found ways to sustain and harvest crops. That was how he’d inherited the nickname, ‘Lunar Prince’.

There were no photographs allowed to be taken of the Prince. However, the news articles were free to state as many details as they so desired. She’d tried to envision what he would look like given the various descriptions, tall and broad it had read, only one or two inches away from standing at six foot tall. Two velveteen rabbit ears sat atop a silky crown of raven black hair, pure white in color, and responsive to the change in his mood. One columnist in particular went on and on about the Prince’s dark eyes, how large, and doe-like they had appeared, despite their depth, and warmth. She’d rather enjoyed that bit.

For tonight, she’d wanted to dress in tears of silk and netted fabrics. The Meadows was said to be the pinnacle of nature itself, the homeland of the fae, and hybrid kind. Magic would exist in her world for only one night, but that was already more than what she could ever hope for. Her dress was a warm pigment of peach and was scattered with blossoms. Her hair was pinned up, save for a wavy strand here and there. Her skin would be devoid of any eye-catching jewelry and her makeup would be natural.

She would not pretend as though she belonged, because she didn’t. Yoongi stood in the doorway, wearing his suit more convincingly than she did her dress. Her brother should be more confident. Perhaps after tonight, he would be.

“I look ridiculous.”

She placed the tickets inside her clutch, “Oh, I’m very certain that we both look amazing. The word spiffy is still a thing and we are the definition.”

“Yeah, you should probably refrain from using that as a compliment.”

She laughed at his obvious discomfort, “I’ll be sure to use it at least three times tonight just to spite you.”

“Please do,” Yoongi said, twirling his keys in his hand impatiently. “Make sure to use it on your prince. He’ll then know for sure that you’re an ancient.”

“You wound me, brother.”

Yoongi rolled his eyes, wondering if he’d ever stop rolling them for the duration of the evening. The Meadows was almost an hour by car. They made the most of it by listening to whatever music Yoongi decided to put on, rapping along to old CDs that she’d been forced to listen to time and time again, and for as long as she could remember. His voice was perfect for it, which was why she encouraged him to continue making music, even if their father disapproved of it.

He’d threatened Yoongi with a florist position. It could be done rather easily, since the shop was run by family. Luckily, their father was currently away on business and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. If he’d been home tonight, she had no idea as to what would have happened. A huge argument, wasted money, and a solitude evening listening to the muddled sounds of Yoongi’s piano.

The Meadows was no longer a guarded territory and for the first time ever, humans were being granted free passage. The new lands held such a dark enchantment, a beauty that was so drastically different from what they’ve ever known that they’d spent the rest of the drive in a state of silent enrapt. They followed the cars in front of them to the castle, which was at the heart of the city. It was a citadel surrounded by forest and closed in by tall gates. Parking was easy enough, as Yoongi handed over his keys to the valet.

“You good? Do you need me to piggyback you?” Yoongi asked, watching as his sister hesitated, stumbling more so than walking. It was a sign that her nerves were getting the best of her. “We didn’t come all this way, dressed up like assholes for nothing, princess. Remember why you wanted to come here. To partake in a historic event, wasn’t it?” It seemed to be working, when he heard her laugh. “Plus, I’m all famished and in dire need of eating sweets off of doilies, or whatever the fuck they serve royals. Let’s at least get some food in our systems.”

She caught his arm, holding onto him for her own stability, “What if I lose my mind in there?”

“Then I’ll find it for you.”

Would it really be that simple?

[bottomskywalker-moved-blog]

hi. i've messaged you about this before but that skysolo domestic au of yours is literally the most precious thing ever and probably my favorite han/luke fic. i was wondering if you had any cute hcs about their lil family cause i'm kind of in a rut rn and that stuff always cheers me up :3

hello, love!!! i’m sorry it took me so long to get to this!! i’ve been in a little bit of a rut too, and i had a long reply with lots of info,  but then i refreshed the page and it all got deleted D: so i’ll try to recreate it!!! 

thank you SO much for telling me that you liked what i have so far!!! i love this au so much and it’s mine and @lukeskyliquor‘s pride and joy!! it means so much to me that you like it, and i know it means a lot to them too!!! 

you inspired me to publish a new installment to the au that i’ve been holding onto for a while!!! so thank you very much!!! i’ll still give you a ton of headcanons tho ;) 

rey loves being outside, regardless of the weather. she loves running around in the sun (”babe, what if she gets dehydrated or sunburned?” “han, she’ll be fine. we put sunscreen on her, and we have water and popsicles here.”), and waddling straight to the water at the beach, water wings and all ( “babe, what if she gets knocked over by a wave???” “han, she’ll be fine. we’re going in with her, and we’ll keep an eye on her.”), jumping in the leaves in the fall ( “babe, what if she lands on a stick and hurts herself?????” “han, she’ll be fine. we’ll take all the sticks out of the leaf pile.”), climbing up trees in the spring ( “babe, what if she falls???” “han, she’ll be fine. we’ll catch her.”), jumping in puddles after/while it rains ( “babe, what if she gets a cold???” “han, she’ll be fine. we’ll and playing in the snow in the  winter ( “babe, what if she falls into a snowbank and freezes to death???” “han, she’ll be fine. we’ll scoop her up and take her inside and give her a warm bath.”). she’s always jumping up and down and smacking her hands against the window like “’side???” at all times. 

ben likes the Aesthetic of outside, but he doesn’t really like getting wet/cold/sweaty. he tends to do really low-key activities. while rey runs around through the sprinkler in the back yard, ben sits in the dirt with luke and helps him garden, or just plays with worms. at the beach, he runs up to the shore with his little bucket and scoops up as many shells as he can, and then runs back before his toes get cold. he and his daddy organize the shells by size and make sand castles (and bury han when he falls asleep). he loves the pretty colors when the leaves change, and collects leaves and tries to draw them. he likes to sit by the window and watch the rain, but he usually ends up falling asleep. and he thinks the snow is pretty, but if he gets it in his gloves or on his face, he fusses and has to be brought inside. the first time he saw snow when he was a baby he was like :o!!!! and went to touch it and then pulled his hand back and Screamed bc he didn’t like the cold!! but he likes to be pulled around on his sled through the snow!! 

ben is nonverbal for most of his childhood and speaks almost exclusively asl, whereas rey is a total chatterbox and is always jumping around and singing and shouting

rey hates baths and often ends up escaping from the bathtub on multiple occasions. it’s not uncommon in the summer for her to shoot out the front door, covered in bubbles and run around in the front yard 

han’s the storytime dad, and he’s created this amazing, elaborate fantasy  world that he tells stories about. and the kids Love the stories about the space pirate, and the princess (and her pilot wife “that’s auntie evaan!!!!!”), and the hero defeating the Scary Guy In The Helmet (anakin gets a kick out of being the villain in his son-and-law/business partner’s story). and whenever someone else babysits, the kids Demand a story in han’s space fairytale world. 

we already know ben was born on halloween (he’s a little scorpio, so he’s sister signs with his taurus daddy!!!), but rey was born at the height of summer when it was crazy hot (and she’s a gemini, so she’s sister signs with her sagittarius papa!)–and where ben was like 2-3 weeks late, she came a whole month early!! 

artoo is luke’s therapy frenchie and he Loves the kids!!! when they’re occupied with taking care of baby rey, he keeps ben entertained by chasing him around the house and licking him until he squeals !!! and then when rey gets older, he chases her around too!!! 

ben was the easiest baby to take care of. it took him a long time to Get there, but once he did he was very well behaved. all he did was sleep, and he kept falling asleep with his bottle and they’d have to rub his fat little cheeks to wake him up!! but rey on the other hand…..she’s a real piece of work. she hates going to sleep, and she fusses and cries All The Time, which they totally weren’t expecting. and they bring her home, and they’re stuck getting up in the middle of the night to try whatever they can to get her back to sleep. (she hates sleeping. it means she’s missing the action!)

ben was a late bloomer and took his time with everything. he didn’t walk until he was older than expected because he liked being carried around. and it really worried han a little (because everything worries han), but luke assured him that “he’ll walk when he has somewhere he really wants to go.” and sure enough, one day, he just waddled over to luke and plopped into his lap. rey, on the other hand, was crawling and scooting around pretty early, and she kept trying to run before she really knew how to walk. she gives han heart attacks twice daily. 

as previously established, han is the helicopter dad. as soon as he finds out they’re having a baby, he goes out and babyproofs the entire house even though it’s gonna take a long time for the baby to get there, and once they do, they’re not gonna be up and moving for a while, so there’s little chance of getting hurt. but it makes him feel better to know that he’s at least doing Something. and he practices swaddling the  dog and carrying him around the house like a baby, which artoo hates, and keeps wiggling and eventually shakes the blanket off.

 he fusses and fawns over every little thing, and definitely does a lot of impulse buying. like they’ll be out  trying to find a stroller, and luke reminds him that “we’re just getting a stroller today, nothing extra.” and then han shows up with an armful of onesies like “okay i know you said nothing extra but LOOK AT THIS. it has a DOG on it. WE have a dog.” they set up this system where every time han wants to buy something impulsive for the baby ( “we’re not getting that giant teddy bear. it won’t even fit in their room. and it’s fifty dollars, han, no way…”), he puts a dollar or two into their college fund instead. 

whenever luke does yoga, his kids always want to climb all over him, or imitate him, or crawl under his bridges or between his feet. he’s gotten used to working out with one or both of his babies on his back. 

[tabithecat44-blog]

I Stayed IN the Alcázar Palace???

Okay, maybe, but hear me out!

I took the Renfe train to get from Madrid to Seville, Spain, and I met a Seville native on my way out of the train.  We sat next to each other the whole time, but didn’t say a word to each other until he got up as our train was coming to a stop.  He left his phone on the charger at his seat!   I hoped he was only going to the bathroom to soon return.  But people were exiting the train and he still wasn’t coming back!  Being the type of person I am, I wanted to stay there until he came back to make sure no one took his phone, or to know if I should take it with me to call him or someone in his contacts to return his phone him.

Luckily he came back.  As he approached our row I stated, “You know you left your phone here.”  That began our acquaintanceship.

Since he was a native, I thought I’d pick his brain for some instructions on how to get to my hostel.  He said he knew exactly where it was and that his hotel was in the same direction, so he’d take me halfway there.  I took him up on that offer and we sped through tons of cute streets lined with small shops all around.  We went so fast I had no sense of direction, and would not have been able to trace my steps back if I tried.  Each window I glanced at (as I raced by) was filled with trinkets, fabrics, and edibles that just screamed “You cannot find me anywhere else”.  I wanted so badly to stop and purchase these things, but I couldn't lose my guide who, if I didn’t know any better, would have thought he left cookies baking in his oven that he just had to go save from burning.

When we got to his place, he said he’d drop off his bags and would continue taking me a little bit further, but that he had a meeting at 1:00.  Our train arrived in the city around 12:15 and we ran through the city for about 20 minutes, so when we got to his hotel, there wasn’t much time left.  He offered for me to come in

“I’ll wait out here”, I said nervously.

He eagerly replied, “No, come in, come in”.

I don’t quite know how to describe what happened next.  I didn’t want to go into a room with a man I didn’t know.  Somehow, my body managed onward.  Looking back on it now, I think I was thinking I would have another chance to say “No thanks, I’ll stay down here” when we got to the front desk to check in.  There was no front desk.

We got in the elevator and... I was actually calm.  I was expecting sweaty palms and a racing heart, but I just stood there, thinking about how stupid I was for letting myself  get trapped in an elevator with a man I didn’t know.  But I wasn’t afraid.

The elevator stopped on the second floor.  We got out, and surprisingly, there was a man waiting for us with a key to let him into his room.  Okay, so if you haven’t figured it out yet, this wasn’t a hotel, it was more like a set of apartments that get rented out.  Anyways, he unlocked the room door and we all went in.  Suddenly, my mind was at ease.

“If this dude tries anything, there will be a witness”.

Of course, 30 seconds later, the witness left.  So then I was trapped in a room on the second floor with this man I didn’t know.  Then I started to get a little scared; still not to the extent I should have been, but fear was there.  I didn’t really “feel” the fear, but logically, I knew the situation I was in could have potentially not been a safe one.

He said he had to use the bathroom.  For the few minutes he was in the bathroom, I was thinking to myself “Should I just leave?”  “What weapons will he walk out of there with?” “What if he’s actually a nice guy?  I don’t want to insult him.”  I started seeking out large sharp objects in his room and evaluating potential exits in case anything WENT DOWN.  I looked out the window and it had the typical, yet in this case unfortunate, window scene of Seville.  My view boasted a few white walls and windows to the other rooms.  So no escape there.  And of course I was not on the first floor, so the window above the sink was probably a no-go too.

He came out and sat down at his kitchen table.  He pulled out the map they provided to guests and showed me where we came from and where I was going.  He then wanted to show me some of the odd furniture they had in the apartment, but I was hasty to get out.  He heard my urges to leave and we journeyed back outside.  He walked me another block or two toward my hostel and stopped at a bar.  He offered to buy me a beer, but I turned down the offer since I don’t drink.  He rushed off to his meeting, but made me promise to meet him at the same spot at 9:00 P.M.  I never saw him again.

During our time together he tried to tell me that the hostel I was staying in used to be part of the palace. When I inquired for an explanation, he said he would tell me more later.  Since our time together was so rushed, and since I never went out to see him, I never got the details.  However, I did visit the palace and concluded his claim was not too far fetched.  First of all, the palace was only a few blocks away from my hostel, and it was first made in the 11th-12th century.  Other parts were added in the centuries following it, so it’s very possible that at one time it did extend out to where my hostel was located, even if it was temporary.  Second, the streets around my hostel were the same as the streets and flooring as some parts of the castle!  I probably would not have noticed this if I had not been warned about the fascination previously.  The streets farther away from the palace did not have the same make.  The fourth photo I’ve included is a photo of the inside of the castle, but it is also an example of what I saw in the streets near my hostel.  The third photo is the tile on the bottom of the wall of my hostel.  Also eerily similar to that which was placed all over the castle.....

When I asked the kids who worked in my hostel if they knew anything about it, they all said they had no idea.  Then again, those kids were all from different countries only visiting for a few months.  I’m pretty convinced it was in fact a part of the castle at one time.

Want to check it out and decide for yourself?  It’s called the Kitsch Hostel, I’ll leave a link down below.  And make sure you go on the rooftop AT NIGHT.  The second picture in this post was taken from the rooftop and features the Alcázar palace lit up in the dark.  Truly memorizing.  Make sure you check rooftop hours when you get there, though.  I think they close it at 9:00 or something.  Probably to stop people from sleeping up there.  Between the views and Seville’s climate, anyone would want to.

The hostel was among the best I’ve ever stayed in.  Clean, and the staff was amazingly friendly.  They keep the front door locked, so it’s safe too.  Make sure you bring a lock, though; all of their lockers are designed to function without a separate lock, but they’re all broken, so you’ll need your own.  You can’t flush toilet paper down the toilet, but that nighttime view of the palace is worth the stay alone.  The front desk typically closes at like 9:00 or 10:00, but the night I stayed, a guest said they’d be coming in late. so the employees decided to keep the hostel open all night long; so nice.

http://sevillakitschhoste.wixsite.com/hostelart